Tables or workbenches for carpenters and mechanics have been known for many years. Due to their size and design they occupy considerable space and are used only in appropriate place, such as workshops. These tables or workbenches are generally heavy and have both a vertical and a horizontal vise that tightens and holds objects against a stop.
There are also some small foldable benches, such as the Black and Decker Workmate 400 model. These workbenches offer the advantage of being compact and, when they are not in use, can be stored. These smaller benches, however, are just simple vises for holding objects and do not, and can not, provide the features of a full service workbench or those of a conventional table. The upper part of these small benches has two boards or sections. One of these boards can hold objects against the other and is tightened by means of two screw cranks, one at each end of the table.
Although many people would like to perform small do-it-yourself projects at home, including carpentry, mechanics, plumbing, etc., this has become practically impossible. Over the last thirty (30) years or so, migration to the cities has increased a great deal. At the same time, in the cities, the proportion of houses has decreased while the number of small apartments with limited space has increased. Whereas a house may contain sufficient space to comfortably accommodate a full size workbench and associated tools, allowing people to make their own furniture, an apartment normally will not contain space for such an item. Further, many homeowners are unwilling to allocate space to a full size workbench. People are now required, therefore, to seek specialists to meet even the smallest of these needs.
In spite of the need that do-it-yourself woodworkers have for a workbench, the solutions currently available in the market do not satisfy these needs. Vice benches like those referred to above, for example, although they are quite small, have no other practical application and thus need to be put away and hidden somewhere in the house when not in use. They must then be found and taken out, assembled for use, and then folded up and put away when no longer in use. This is generally found to discourage use of these vice benches. The invention described herein provides a solution for do-it-yourself woodworkers who wish to perform this type of work at home, comfortably, by themselves.
The present invention can be used as a conventional table (for the dining room, for card games, etc,.) and can also provide the functionality of a complete workbench, such as for clamping objects in a vase. The invention can also be used to provide the services of a sander, router, bench drill wood lathe, and bench saw, using only an electric hand drill held in place by a support on the board.